Fear in the Dark
by I the Antagonist
Summary: After having disappeared in the jungle, together with an archeological expedition lead by Seta, for two months Keitaro is found and brought back to Japan. But his expriences have marked him and it seems that something else is after him as well.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Love Hina and I'm not making any profit on it.

_Author's notes:_ Well this is my second fic I've uploaded. It's been quite some time before I uploaded my first one but the writing progress has been difficult, as I've had trouble deciding where I want the story to go.

So while I figure out what to do about it I've been writing up some other fics, this just being the first of the batch I'm hoping to upload soon enough.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! Read and review please.

---------------------------

**Chapter 1 - Lost and Found**

"You're in luck." said Kadokawa as they entered the airport. "After months in the jungle I thought we'd only find a half-rotten corpse with rats chew-"

"We don't need to hear your thoughts on it." Haruka cut in when it was apparent that he was going to give them his disgusting expectations straight. It was not quick enough on Shinobu's part though, as she had already passed out by the word half-rotten.

"Well…" he said as he cleared his throat. "That's the good news…" he trailed off as he looked down on the floor for a moment. "The bad news however…" he began, after a moments silence, and met the gaze of all the girls. "I'll let you see for yourself." He sighed and led them away from the bustling hall of the airport.

---------

Keitaro screamed. It did not matter for who or what he was screaming. All that mattered was that someone came and took him out of his prison. He could feel the eyes in the darkness staring at him, engulfing him, _feasting_ on him.

With an almost inhuman luck he had gotten out of his straightjacket when he awoke in what seemed to be a storage room, but with no light it was hard to tell. As he banged on the door and screamed for his voice's worth however… No one came to answer it.

He calmed down a little. Hesitatingly reaching his hand for the handle and with a care and perfection that any spy or burglar could do all but dream of possessing he cautiously pushed the door open.

Outside, a hallway stretched to his right and left. Oddly enough, the lights were all off. He slowly slid out from his room. Suddenly a noise came from his left and he whipped his head in the direction.

With a frightened yelp he bolted in the opposite direction. Only faintly hearing yelling.

---------

Kadokawa stopped when he heard his com-radio going off, the incoherent yelling and apparent urgency sending him into full alert.

"Calm down!" he yelled. "What's happening over there?" he continued.

"He's escaped!" the voice on the other side responded. "He took off in the direction of the terminal."

"Don't lose him! If he gets away there is no telling what he'll do."

"What's goin' on?" Kitsune inquired as he finished yelling orders into his radio.

"He's on the loose. I'll have to ask you to wait here. If you see him: don't approach him and if he tries to get closer: keep him away." was what he said before he set off in a mad dash in the opposite direction they were going. Leaving the girls dumbfounded and perplexed on the 'orders' he had given them.

---------

Keitaro ran as if the beast and his hounds were after him. He ran in any direction he could until he finally found a set of double doors. They flew open as another man came running at him. Keitaro crouched down a little and hit the man's waist, the unexpected force sending him flying onto his back through the very door he entered and the second after he hit the floor, Keitaro had already sped passed him.

Keitaro did not bother to check if he was allright. In fact it didn't concern him in the slightest if the man was hurt or not. All he cared for was to keep running. He didn't notice all the people around him. The security guards yelling or the odd looks he received. He knocked over quite a few of the shocked travellers before he spotted something.

Yes! Right there!

Keitaro adjusted his course and only barely dodged the guard trying to grab him. His target got closer and closer. Just when it was in reach two guards stood there to block his way. He leapt and somehow flew right through them. He latched onto his target and buried his face.

---------

Naru barely saw him before he wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her bosom. Knocking her off her feet and sending them both into the floor. She wanted to scream at him for flying into her like that and hit him for being a pervert as it was her breasts he was nuzzling. But the anger ebbed away before she did either as her sweater was starting to feel wet. Was he crying?

"Don't let them take me away… the beast will get me…" he weakly mumbled through sobs.

---------

It had taken them several hours before they had managed to detach the wailing Keitaro from Naru and make him calm down sufficiently to quietly lead him away. It had also taken quite a lot of effort to get rid of all the curious bystanders. At least they had a hard time until Haruka drove them away with some well-chosen words and Motoko urged them to leave quicker by flashing her sword.

After Kadokawa had scolded the guards for just throwing Keitaro into a storage and not even bother to lock the door, they had gotten Keitaro to a 'safe' room. At least that was what Kadokawa called it when they entered. Basically it was an interrogation room like the ones you see in police-movies and crime-dramas, with Keitaro being questioned by an interrogator and guarded by two brutes who looked more like gorillas rather then men.

Kadokawa kept rubbing the aching mid-section of his body. That tackle he'd received had felt like a heard of rhinos stampeding right into him.

"Who is that man?" Motoko questioned.

"Dr. Ogami, a psychologist." Kadokawa croaked out in-between groans of pain. "As you can probably figure out, Mr. Urashima has probably had some bad experiences out there."

"Wh-What sort of experiences?" Shinobu worriedly asked.

"I don't know. But maybe he can figure it out." Kadokawa replied and nodded to Dr. Ogami who stood up and exited the room, a few seconds later he entered the room they were all in.

"Mr. Urashima has had quite the time in the jungle…" he said as he pushed up his glasses. "Not only does he display a great amount of post-traumatic stress, it seems he has developed achluophobia as well."

"Achluophobia?" Kanako asked.

"Yes. Fear of the dark." he answered and pushed his slipping glasses back up. "I have to ask you Mr. Kadokawa: what condition was he in when you found him?"

"He was exhausted. We didn't get a word out of him until he was properly fed and rested. But once he started talking it was all incoherent babble." Kadokawa sounded like he was a private reporting to his superior officer.

"Yes…" Dr. Ogami said deep in thought. "How did he behave after that?" he added.

"He stole a machete from one of the guides and tried to kill him."

"Brother would never do that!" Kanako protested loudly. "He wouldn't even hurt a fly!" she added.

Kadokawa glared at her as he felt like his credibility was questioned.

"There were plenty of witnesses including myself." he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "I tell you the guide was lucky that he got away unscathed and Mr. Urashima should be happy that he won't be charged for attempted murder."

Kanako stared defiantly at him while the other girls displayed looks of disbelief and Haruka's face held hints of worry. The silence remained uninterrupted until Dr. Ogami cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"In any case I will have to take him into custody for observation." he stated as he pushed up his glasses. "If I may ask of your contact information Ms. Urashima I shall return later with whatever information I can give and course of action I can recommend." and with those words, Dr. Ogami and Kadokawa left them.


End file.
